Page 121 of Delicate Escape

Shep’s amber eyes lifted to mine. “And we’ll do it together.”

Warmth spread through me at that. “I love you.”

His mouth curved. “Love hearing those words on your lips.”

“Better get used to it.”

Shep returned his focus to my hands, cleaning each wound and coating them in the thick ointment before covering both my palms with massive Band-Aids.

“Don’t you think this is a little much?” I asked.

He glowered at me. “We’re not taking any chances.”

I knew he meant it as much more than a possible infection on my palms. I opened my mouth to assure him that I was okay when a knock on my door cut me off.

My body reacted on instinct, pushing from my chair, muscles tensing.

Shep curved around me in an instant. “It’s Trace. I called him on my way over here.”

The tension left me on a single exhale. Trace. Not Brendan. Everything was okay.

Shep’s lips ghosted over my temple. “You’re safe.”

“I know.”

Shep didn’t release me right away, and I knew it was a battle when he finally did. I could feel the tension thrumming through him. But when the second knock sounded, he moved for my front door.

“Thanks for coming,” Shep said as he ushered his brother inside.

Trace moved down the hallway toward the kitchen, his gaze missing nothing as it did a quick sweep of me and my surroundings. “I’m so sorry this happened, Thea.”

“Me, too,” I said. “Do you want a drink or?—?”

“I’ll get them. You sit,” Shep ordered.

I stuck out my tongue at him. “Bossy, much?”

Trace chuckled. “He always has been. Tried to boss me all the time when we were teenagers. Even though I was older.”

“You narced on me the one time I skipped class in high school,” Shep shot back.

Trace grinned as he pulled out a chair at the kitchen table. “Payback’s a bitch.”

I looked back and forth between the brothers. They had the kind of closeness I’d always craved growing up. And now, with time, I knew I’d be a part of it, too. I’d have funny stories with the Colsons, inside jokes. All of that was worth fighting for.

Shep slid the pitcher of lemonade I’d made yesterday onto the table along with three glasses and a platter with cheese and crackers. He took the chair next to mine and pushed the snack plate toward me. “You need to eat something.”

I grabbed a cracker to appease him, but when I looked up, it was to find Trace studying me and Shep. His expression was a mixture of happiness and longing. I didn’t know much about his previous marriage or why it had come to an end, but it was plain to see that he missed the sort of closeness that Shep and I shared.

That longing had my heart aching for the man who was so incredibly kind. It had to be hard to be so focused on taking care of your daughter and the town, but not to have someone giving that care back.

Trace cleared his throat. “I have to ask, did Brendan make any threats against you when he came into the bakery?”

The little bit of cracker I’d eaten soured in my stomach. “He just said that it would be a shame if people found out about The Mix Up’s poor service and that he’d be seeing me. That’s his version of a threat.”

Shep’s knuckles bleached white as he gripped his glass tighter. “There has to be something you can do. He’s stalking her.”

Trace scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “For an order of protection, we need to prove threats were made.”

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